City seeks money for public records software program

The city is seeking outside funding to help it unveil a new software program that will provide staff and members of the public easier access to city records.

According to a city agenda report, the item, which the Alamogordo City Commission approved last week, will allow the city to move forward with a request to the New Mexico Historical Records Advisory Board for funding assistance.

"We are working on the request for proposals for the records management system for the entire city," City Clerk Renee Cantin said Wednesday. "This grant will help tremendously with the training aspect of the program. It will ultimately allow access of all city records to city employees and all citizens."

The city approved funding under the budgetary process in August for a new software application replacement project that includes a "new records management software component," records show.

The new software component will help the city clerk "administer the city's historical records and meet the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act requirements," according to an agenda report.

Training, both internal and external, is expected to allow easy access to city records by city staff, state agencies and "all members of the public," records show.

Cantin is seeking to maximize the funds by submitting the now-approved application to implement the program and bring awareness of it to the public, according to an agenda report.

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The grant, should it be awarded, will allocate about $5,000 for training on the new software, and another $5,000 to use on a public awareness campaign, records show.

"We will be working toward making all the records accessible," Cantin said. "Confidential information will be removed or redacted."

The total project will be cost a little more than $10,000, with about $2,000 coming from the city and the remaining amount coming from the state grant, according to a city agenda report.

The commission approved the measure as part of its consent agenda last week, meaning it was considered routine business and was enacted along with several other items in a single vote.

Contact John Bear at jbear@alamogordonews.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnbearwithme